This past weekend, Phenom Hoops traveled down to the Upward Star Center in Spartanburg, South Carolina for another exciting weekend of basketball. We’ve seen a lot of teams over the past month and the CC Elite organization has been on full display throughout the process. At our Phenom Stay Positive, they constructed a Weddington-based group that certainly outperformed expectations with their championship run. They weren’t the flashiest team, but arguably one of the most effective—especially given their noticeable chemistry. This article will take a closer look at their roster makeup and possible success going forward…
Despite being a fairly balanced group, 6’4 ’22 Chase Lowe stood out as their main leader during the weekend. He secured rebounds, made a ton of plays defensively, and offered an excellent presence in transition. Lowe was able to get downhill and attack the basket with relative ease, where he finished effectively through varying amounts of contact. He also made plays for others and showed the ability to knock down perimeter jumpers at a solid clip. Though Lowe offered some useful ball-handling, 6’0 ’22 AJ Cook shined as the primary floor general for this squad. He’s a smooth, patient point guard with a terrific balance between playmaking and three-point shooting. Cook is crafty off the bounce and makes smart decisions with the ball in his hands. After performing at this level for the last calendar year, it’s great that Cook is starting to receive the appropriate attention.
The two lone seniors, 6’0 ’21 Brock Bowen and 6’3 ’21 Caleb Weatherbee, have played together all summer and stand out among the top three-point shooters on this roster. We’ve written about Bowen at length, regarding him as one of the better spot-up threats in the state. His gravity and overall identity are extremely valuable to this team. Meanwhile, Weatherbee offers a quality floor-spacing presence from the forward position. He’s capable of operating off the bounce and finding scoring opportunities through cutting, which allows him to make plays within a low-maintenance role. Alongside those four, 6’3 ’22 Kyle Frazier is basically the glue that holds everything together. Not only does he play hard and defend multiple positions, but his all-around skillset allows him to consistently impact all facets of the game. Frazier is a quality passer, rebounder, and perimeter shooter that makes his presence felt in transition.
Rounding out the roster, guys like 6’0 ’22 Josh Dendy and 6’5 ’22 Jack Werdann understand how to maximize their respective roles and fill in the gaps on either end of the floor. Dendy is a tough, heady guard with quickness and a quality motor. Werdann has the necessary size to battle inside, make hustle plays, and carry his weight as a rebounder. Last but not least, 5’9 ’24 Aiden Cook is young but has the tools to easily emerge as a quality contributor sooner than later. He’s a reliable shooter and floor general with the foundation to solidify himself over the next few years. Although this doesn’t include every player on their roster for the upcoming season, it’s easy to get excited about the possibilities brewing at Weddington after their showing at Phenom Stay Positive.